Jan
31
Staying on the budget
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Remodeling your house can entail a lot of expenses. House planners claim that sometimes remodeling can be more expensive than building a new house. This is probably true when the home owner just can’t stop to a point when the works have already begun.
Remodeling your house is like having cosmetic works on your face and body. It can be addicting. You can never get satisfied after every nose job, bust lift, face lift or cheekbone implant. This can be very dangerous and risky because you will drain your budget in no time.
When remodeling your house, make sure you stay on your budget. Be disciplined and in control because once you go overboard, you might realize in the end you had better built a new house than remodeled your old abode.
Jan
30
Stone Age that’s not as old
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Here are some profiles of the kinds of tiles you might want to get for your home:
Natural stone - Natural stone tiles give a beautiful finish.
Limestone – a soft, sedimentary stone formed over millennia from shells and bones settling on the sea bed – is a classic finish for period hallways. Popular with designers, it comes in a variety of shades from parchment to a soft honey colour. Travertine has a more variegated appearance, and is also available in a variety of forms, including polished, honed and tumbled.
Jan
25
Homes, as they are safe for adults, may not exactly be safe for little, curious kids. Normal household paraphernalia (such as electrical outlets, blinds string, etc.) can cause accidents for the toddlers. Here are some ways to keep the tots safe while exploring the house.
- Keep the strings of your blinds / curtains/ shades out of baby’s reach. Tie them somewhere high to prevent your toddler from entangling himself or from pulling it down, ruining your window décor or the blinds themselves.
- Insert socket covers into your outlets. This will keep the baby from inserting little things (or his finger) into the electrical sockets. Socket covers are readily available at your home store.
- Place baby gates at the second floor of your house or wherever it is that the baby is most likely to fall or meet an accident.
Jan
20
While you think that installing new flooring in your home is difficult, there are a variety of tools you can use to put new flooring in just one weekend. For example, if you are a fan of wood floors yet you are on a budget, you can try the wood laminate. Wood laminate is readily available in your home store and installing it is not that hard.
On the other hand, painting is also one thing you can do. Learn the basics of house painting and do it to your own home. And while you’re at it, experiment with colors and do away with boring hues. A gallon or two of paint is probably the only thing you’ll spend on, while hiring someone to paint for you will be more expensive.
(Taken from http://seotraffictips.blogspot.com/2008/01/house-renovation-plans-that-are-easy.html)
Jan
15
Napkin Art
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Fancying for some pieces of fabulous artwork but don’t have the money to buy it just yet? Check your linen drawers. You might just find something there.
Materials:
- 18” x 18” (or larger) cloth table napkin/s
- 14” x 14” wood frame (used for canvas paintings)
- Large wire stapler
How to make it:
- Make sure that linen napkin is free of wrinkles and creases. Iron out first if possible.
- Position the napkin with the wrong side up on a flat surface.
- Place the wood frame on top, right at the center of the napkin.
- Fold one corner up into a “hospital corner” (one end tucked in to create a 45-degree fold); staple fold onto the frame to secure.
- Repeat the same procedure on the opposite diagonal side. Make sure that napkin is tightly stretched.
- Repeat procedure for the remaining sides.
- Secure the fabric wrapped on all four sides of the frame by stapling it (again, make sure the napkin is properly stretched!).
Tip:
You can also do this to other fabrics that you find lying idly around your house. Make sure to cut them into sizes that will fit standard wood frames.
(Taken from Real Living magazine, Volume 5, Number 6)
Jan
10
The Top 10 Organizers of Apartment Space (Part 1 of 2)
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1. Wall shelves – great for maximizing vertical space. Use your wall space from the floor to the ceiling.
2. Door storage – there is a variety to choose from: whether shelves or racks, don’t hesitate to hook space savers at the back of your doors.
3. Trunks – Trunks are big and they’re spacious inside: perfect for storing linen or old books and toys. You don’t have to worry about the space it occupies for it can double as a coffee table or as a mini bench.
4. Ottomans – are very much like trunks, only the other way around. They’re initially made for seating or as foot rests but they do have space inside that can hold stuff as well.
Jan
5
Planning Steps before Renovation
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1. Money - How much are you willing to spend on kitchen renovation. Money is important and so is our budget. Know the limits of your budget and how much you are willing to spend for your dream kitchen renovation project, for a better estimation of renovation plans and materials that would best suit your budget.
2. Time - How much time are you willing to spend on the project will you still be able to go about on your work and other personal stuff. Create an attainable schedule which comfortable and beneficial to you and your project.
3. Design – Do a research on designs and layout that you would like to incorporate on your kitchen renovation project and work out a plan
4. Consultation - Consult a Interior Designer to work out you ideas and design including the time and budget of the project.
Jan
1
Outdoor Lighting on Low Voltage
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Outdoor lighting is a good way to highlight the appearance of your home, level up its security, as well as increase the safety of the people who stroll about your property at night. You can put this up on your own and at a low voltage too. The process is fairly simple and is actually just a one-day project that includes adding about a half dozen lights, doing the wiring, and hanging the transformer. The needed materials are readily available at your local home store. Although if you want to achieve a professional look, consider purchasing at least the transformer and lights from a landscape lighting dealer. It will turn out to be more expensive but the durability and serviceability is worth it.
Keep in mind that a bit of planning is necessary. It is imperative that lighting must highlight architectural features and plants, and provide better access to paths, walkways, and steps. Approximate the areas where you will put the lights and add about 3 inches at the ends so you will be able to modify it later on. Ultimately, to buy the correct amount of wiring, you must compute the total footage of the area you will light.